Capturing device for insects

ABSTRACT

A device for manually capturing and restraining intended insects, the same comprising a pad of stacked, singular sheets each sheet having a partial enveloping means comprised of hydrophillic absorbing material and collapsible sheet construction whereby the sheet partially conforms in reposne to the insects body mass. Each sheet has a region is coated with a mild compression adhesive material capable of trapping of an insect in response to the physical manipulation by a human being. The pad of stacked adhesive sheets can be used by separating each sheet individually or as a stack. Upon apprehension of an insect, the sheet restraining the insect is separated, if not already separated from its stack, folded to encase the insect and ready for disposal. The pad of stacked adhesive sheets can have various sheet sizes, thickness and density with varying enveloping ability—all depending upon intended insect to be trapped. For increasing the maneuverability of the device, the device can be attached to an elongated rod such as a fly swatter&#39;s handle.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation in part application of application Ser. No.08/832,384 filed on Apr. 2, 1997 now abandoned and a continuation ofSer. No. 09/246,543 filed Feb. 8, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,862.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a device for capturing insects or other smallpests. The invention further involves a method of use of the devicewhich is particularly effective for the manual capture of insects whenan individual is faced with a personal and proximate encounter.

Many, if not most, people have had experiences dealing with a personalencounter with insects or other pests where the insect is discoveredeither crawling on or near one's person. The presence of an insect orpests is particularly undesirable when found within one's home,automobile or other confined space. Common insects and other pests whichare frequently encountered may include ticks, spiders, ants, flies,bees, wasps, scorpions, crickets, beetles and grasshoppers. Consumerswould welcome a device which would enable them to catch and restrainsuch insects and pests without having to physically touch or handle theinsects directly. Direct contact with such insects and pests isundesirable because they may bite or sting. Moreover, insects and pestsmay serve as carriers of disease or harmful germs. Brushing insects offor dropping the insect onto the floor is unsightly, does not restrainthe insect and does not address the disposal problem. Swatting insectsis often undesirable because the action will frequently leave a residueof the insect on the surface and also makes the disposal of the insectinconvenient. Furthermore, in circumstances where in the insect or pestis not resting on a hard surface, swatting the insect may not beeffective. Swatting an insect may also leave a residue, such as blood,from the insect on the flyswatter which is also undesirable. The use ofinsecticides is likewise disfavored because of the hazardous nature ofthe chemicals used and the possible adverse health and environmentaleffects associated with pesticides.

According to the invention, insects are manually captured by attachmentto a pressure responsive adhesive which has been provided on a pliableand compressible substrate in a sheet form. The sheet material hasenveloping abilities which enables it to be folded over on itself sothat a captured insect may be wrapped up and then appropriatelydisposed. The sheet according to the invention is constructed to be aconvenient size for carrying and handling. After the insect isrestrained and wrapped up in the sheet, it can then be conveniently andproperly disposed of in the same manner as any other article of garbage.The insect may also be saved for inspection by a physician or otherprofessional if there is concern that it is a poisonous or otherwisedangerous insect or pest.

The substrate can be made in a variety of sizes and configurationsdepending on the particular insect targeted. For example, in some partsof the country ticks are increasingly becoming a health problem,particularly in the Eastern United States. In this regard, certain ticksare potentially dangerous to humans and animals may carry harmfuldiseases including spotted fever and lyme disease. Often a user willwant to be able to identify the species of the tick but there is noconvenient and safe manner to trap and restrain the tick for furtherobservation and identification by experts. Likewise, some regions of theUnited States experience heavy infestations of ants upon the change ofseasons and, particularly in areas where food is prepared, the use ofinsecticides is undesirable. The substrate can thus be configured forthe optimal capture of ants.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a manuallymanipulated capturing device that employs pressure sensitive adhesivefor the capture of insects or other small pests.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which has anadhesive coated sheet with restraining capability only after the saidadhesive portion of the sheet is pressed firmly against an intendedinsect, compressing and adhering the insect onto the adhesive.

A further object of the invention is to provide a manual insectcapturing device which includes a pad of disposable stacked adhesivesheets with tabs allowing easy sheet separation, as intended insects arecaptured and restrained, the sheets being further used as a medium forwrapping the captured insect in preparation for its proper disposal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a manual insectcapturing device that is absorbent and can collapse in response to theinsects body thus reducing the smashing or squashing effect that occurswhen an insect is sandwiched between a rigid article and a hard surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide the material or padholder on the end of an elongate rod, such as a fly swatter handle,thereby providing a means for extension of the device's reach, greatlyincreasing the versatility of the device in the pursuit and apprehensionof the intended insect or pest.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to post the manualinsect capturing device in the user's home, car, or other convenientlocation.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a manual insectcapturing device that can be conveniently carried by the user, in placessuch as pockets, backpacks and purses, enabling the device to be readilyaccessible for those times when, unexpectedly, insects are discoveredcrawling on or around ones person, their children or pets.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a manual insectcapturing device that requires a minimum of skill and training to useand manipulate is inexpensive and effective.

A further object of the invention is to provide a manual insectcapturing device that makes available a safe sanitary method for insecthandling and disposal and to make the device available to the consumerin various sheet sizes and densities to accommodate different types,sizes and quantities of which are likely to be encountered by the userin their particular environment.

These and other various objectives and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent to the reader from a consideration of the followingdescription and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of a stack of adhesive coatedsheets in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the stack depicted in FIG. 1 with thetop sheet being partially separated from the stack held by a user.

FIG. 3 is side sectional view of a single sheet such as that shown inFIG. 1 taken along line 3—3.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective front view in elevation of a secondembodiment of the invention having a corrugated design.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a singular sheet made in accordancewith the invention in use, with the tacky adhesive portion facing downshown making adhesive contact with a wood tick.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of such a sheet made in accordance withthe invention folding over a restrained insect.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the assembly of a stack of adhesivesheets and their integration with a pad holder on the end of aflyswatter.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the assembly depicted in FIG. 7 onthe handle of a flyswatter positioned above targeted insects.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of such a stack of sheets according tothe invention, showing the initiation of the folding of a sheet and overthe apprehended insects.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view in elevation of a sheet according to theinvention.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation of the sheet depictedin FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a top view of a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 shows a top view of a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 shows a side view in elevation of the embodiment of theinvention shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 shows a side sectional view of a further embodiment of theinvention in engagement with an insect against a hard surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, a pad of adhesive sheets generally designatedby the reference numeral 28 is shown. In this first embodiment eachsheet is approximately {fraction (1/16)} inch thick and comprised of alow density paper substrate 22. As best seen in FIG. 2 sheet 22 has anupper surface 30 and a lower surface 26. Displaced upon a region ofupper surface 30 is an adhesive 24 which has similar properties to thoseadhesives found on conventional clear cellophane tapes. The range ofadhesives generally acceptable for use with the invention are similar tothose found on conventional Post-it brand tabs manufactured by 3MCompany to those found on conventional masking tapes. The preferredcontemplated adhesives include those pressure sensitive which form abond on contact. Adhesives which could be effectively used in accordancewith the invention have tackiness properties that range from those usedin on conventional masking tape to those on the post it notes andaccordingly the bond sought is not required to be particularly strong orpermanent. As best seen in FIG. 1 the regions 30 devoid of adhesive onthe top surface of the sheets are provided along a least two peripherialedges so that the sheet may be easily manipulated without adhering tothe users hands. Preferably the region devoid of adhesive is located onopposite sides of the sheet as illustrated in FIG. 1. Providing suchareas allows the users to easily separate the sheets as seen in FIG. 2.and, when in use, provides an area which will not adhere to the surfacewhich is contacted by the adhesive, facilitating the removal of thesheet from the surface. When used, sufficient force is applied to theadhesive pad to merely engage the insect. The user tries to avoidapplication of significant force on surface which the insect is foundand thereby tries to avoid a strong bond between the surface and theadhesive. The presence of the trapped insect between the substrate andthe surface further serves to minimize the contact between the adhesiveand the surface and accordingly the bonding between the adhesive and thesurface is diminished. Substrate 22 is comprised of a low density,hydrophillic paper made of a porous mesh fiber construction which isrigid enough to support its own weight when held by region 30.

FIG. 4 depicts a further embodiment of the invention where the substrateis comprised of a corrugated fiber material. The use of corrugationserves as an alternative manner in which to provide a compressiblesubstrate. The use of this configuration also may provide an increasedfrictional engagement on the insect. Like the previous embodiment anadhesive is provided on a portion of one side of the substrate. It iscontemplated that the adhesive would be placed in the depressed regionsor crevices formed by the corrugated material. In this embodiment thedevice would be less likely to firmly adhere to the surface on which theinsect is found, yet, adhesive within the crevices formed by thecorrugation would still effectively engage the insect, or portions ofthe insect.

FIGS. 10 and 11 shows a further embodiment of the invention with a waxpaper cover 110 or other similar non-porous non-stick sheet placed ontop of the adhesive which seals the adhesive preventing it from dryingout, protects the adhesive and prevents it from adhering to extraneousmatter until the sheet is ready for use. In this embodiment the devicesis provided to the user is the form of individual sheets. When thedevice is provided in the pad embodiment as disclosed as FIG. 1, anon-stick coating can be provided on the bottom side 26 of each sheetwhich serves this same purpose. The non-stick coating may also beprovided in the form of a laminate layer.

FIG. 12 depicts a top plan view of a further contemplated embodimentwhere the profile of the is circular rather than a square. In thisembodiment the lateral region 113 and 114 are devoid of the adhesive andthe adhesive is provided in a series of stripes across the top surfacerather than being dispersed throughout the entire central adhesiveregion. By providing the adhesive on the substrate in this manner theadhesive does not significantly interfere with the hydrophilicproperties of the substrate. Application of the adhesive to only aportion of the surface of the substrate is nevertheless effective atrestraining an insect and conserves the amount of adhesive required.FIG. 13 shows another embodiment of the invention, in this embodimentthe region devoid of adhesive 16 is provided around the entire peripheryof the device. A best seen in FIG. 14, this area is on a laminate layer121 and not provided on the hydrophillic compressible substrate 117which is essentially coextensive with the adhesive areas. Like theembodiment set forth in FIG. 12, the adhesive 118 does not completelycover substrate 117 but rather is provided in the form of small circularregions. Although the distribution of the adhesive has been disclosed asstripes and circular regions, it is contemplated that the adhesive maybe provided in a wide variety of manners which would not effect theperformance of the device. For example, it is contemplated that theadhesive could be provided in the form of a grid, checkerboard, or insmall droplets randomly dispersed across the surface of the substrate.

FIG. 15 shows yet another embodiment of the invention in engagement withan insect 130 and between a hard surface 132 such as a floor or wall. Inthis embodiment air cavities 134 are distributed throughout thesubstrate 138 which enables the substrate to be compressed in responseto force applied from the bottom surface 142 of the device. Thesubstrate has an adhesive layer 136 formed by application of dropletsacross the top surface. The matrix is made of a low density paper orcellulose and is hydrophillic. It is contemplated that other materialscould also be satisfactorily be employed such as synthetic resins andwhen such synthetic resins are employed the resiliency feature of thesubstrate is enhanced. This embodiment is provided with a third layer140 to increase the rigidity of the substrate. In this embodiment the ismade of thin cardboard having a rigidity analogous to that of aconventional index card.

It is contemplated that alternative materials may be sued as thecompressible substrate such as synthetic resin which is partiallyelastic and compressible or can collapse across an axis perpendicularwith the planar surface on which is provided the adhesive.

The rigidity feature must be sufficient to allow a user to applypressure from the opposite side of the substrate to crush and capturethe insect. The device should preferably have a rigidity atapproximately equal to that of the cardboard used in conventionalcommercially available index cards. Because the substrate is relativelythick compared to conventional paper, there is a more substantialbarrier to between the insect and the individual using the materialwhich serves to protect the user. In the embodiment the protectivebarrier is further enhanced by layer 140. Thus when the intended targetis a bee, wasp or other biting or stinging insect, the material used forthe sheet is thick enough to prevent the user from harm.

A further feature of the invention, related to the thickness andcompressibility of the substrate, is the ability of the substrate toabsorb liquid residue from the insect. Any liquid from the insect orpest can be adequately absorbed by the material and any residue whichmay remains of the surface where the insect had landed is minimized. Inthis regard the substrate in each of the embodiments is made of ahydrophillic material. Because the presence of adhesives on the surfaceof the substrate may interfere with this feature of the invention, inorder to optimize this feature, in some of the preferred embodiments theadhesive is intermittently applied over the surface of the substrate,rather than in a continuous coating so that a portion of the underlyingsubstrate remains exposed.

The ability of the substrate to be compressed serves to increase thetotal surface area between the insect and the adhesive coated surfaceand the insect can therefore be more effectively trapped and restrained.

A further feature of the invention is the ability of the substrate tofold over upon itself. Accordingly, each of the substrate describeherein has pliable characteristics which enable a user to easily foldthe substrate over upon itself to envelope the insect or pest therein.The substrate is maintained in a closed position by the engagement ofthe opposite adhesive surfaces contacting one another. Folding thesubstrate up increases the contact area between the adhesive and theinsect and serves to further prevent the possibility that the pest mayfree itself from the adhesive. Folding the substrate essentiallyencapsulates the pest within the adhesive and will ensure that it cannotescape.

In the contemplated preferred embodiments the sheets are opaque whichserves to obstruct and minimize the viewing which is an desirablefeature in circumstances where the individual using the device has afear of insects or when the crushed insect is unsightly. It is furthercontemplated that the devices can be provided with appealing graphics,educational information relating to insects or information relating tothe method of use.

The use of the device involves application of the adhesive to an insectcrawling along surface. The portion of the substrate provided withadhesive is pressed against the insect as shown in FIG. 15. Applicationof pressure causes the insects body to create a small depression orcavity within the substrate and increases the total surface areasbetween the adhesive agent and the insect. When the substrate is then isthen removed from the surface the insect will adhere to the adhesivesubstrate. Because in most instances the targeted insects will havesignificantly less mass than the surface on which it is crawling, andthe insect will generally have a higher affinity to the adhesive than asmooth flat surface. Likewise, the substrate is particularly useful toengage and capture the an insect found on the skin of a person as shownin FIG. 5 because the adhesive will generally have less adhesion to theskin of an individual dues presence of oils on the body. In FIG. 5 asubstrate 22, and more particularly the adhesive portion 24 is appliedover tick 26 which was located on the hand of a user. Upon removal ofthe substrate from the surface the insect will be retained by theadhesive. Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the entire device is folded in halfand the adhesive which remained exposed is allowed to engage itself andcompletely encapsulate the pest or insect. If the application of thepressure on the insect during the initial capture phase was notsufficient to kill the insect or pest, the further pressure can beapplied to ensure the insect is indeed dead.

In each of the embodiments the device is engineered so that when pressedagainst the body of an insect, when on a hard surface such as wood,plaster or concrete, the substrate will generally conform to the body ofthe insect when pressure is applied to the insect from the bottom sidedevoid of adhesive. In alternative embodiments the bottom side of thedevice is provided with a additional material to further providerigidity to the rear surface which increases the protective barrier.Preferably the bottom side of the substrate is water proof or waterresistant and this feature will prevent any liquid residue from thecrushed insect from migrating through the substrate from the to side tothe bottom side where the is engaged by the hand, or could leak throughto the next sheet. This feature maintains a barrier which ensures thatthe individual does not come into direct contact with the residue of theinsect and, in connection with the pad embodiment keeps the nextsubstrate in new condition.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the substrate is provided incombination with a conventional flyswatter or other elongate handle.Providing the substrate in combination with a flyswatter is useful forengagement of insects or pests which have been initially killed byflyswatter head and then must be disposed. The device may further beused as an alternative to a flyswatter in circumstances were the use ofa flyswatter is not possible due to the location of the pest or when theinsect is slow moving and a flyswatter is not required on. As seen inFIG. 8, in this embodiment a pad consisting of a plurality of thesubstrates such as described in FIG. 1 is combined with rigid supportmember 50. Rigid support member 50 serves the purpose of the rigidsupport provided individually on the sheets as shown as a laminate layer140 in FIG. 15. Support member 50 is attached to rod 52., in this case,the opposite end or handle end of a conventional flyswatter. The devicemay be operated using a stamping action on the insects crawling onsurfaces when it is not necessary to employ the speed of flyswatter heador in circumstances where there is insufficient room to swing theflyswatter head. Rod 52 serves to provide distance between the user andthe target insect and accordingly serves to alleviate fear in thosepersons who have an aversion to insects. Providing the substrate on alsomakes the use of the device more convenient when the targeted insect arefound crawling on the floor. The device as depicted in FIGS. 7-9 isparticularly useful and effective for picking up ants and flying insectswhich have been killed by a flyswatter and have subsequently dropped tothe floor. Combining the product with the flyswatter further results ina convenient, effective and multipurpose pest control and disposal tool.The pad 28, as shown in FIG. 7 is adhered to the support member 50 by anadhesive 51. In other contemplated alternative embodiments the substrateis held in place by mechanical means such as a frictional engagement,such as a tongue and groove arrangement or, the pad can be provided witha base which can be snap fit into a complimentary flange structureprovided on holder 50.

The manual insect capturing device of FIG. 1 can be used to capture awide variety of insects, large and small. The device is easy to carry.The user will find this device useful when exposed to the habitats ofannoying insects such as wood tics, but it will be equally usefulattached to the handle of a fly swatter. The said attachment enablesdevice extension from the user's hand as shown in FIG. 8 augmentingmanual manipulation, greatly increasing device versatility, reactiontime and speed during pursuit and apprehension of an insect.

In operation, the user optionally separates the top sheet 22 from itsstack 28. The operator then places the tacky portion 24 directly overthe intended insect 26 and makes contact. The user then causes furthercompression on the insect allowing the adhesive to engage the insect.The adhesive catches and holds the insect. Next the adhesive coatedmaterial is folded over to envelope the insect and the insect is readyfor proper disposal.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 7 the user employs the deviceby adhesion attachment onto a pad holder 50 connected to the end portiona fly swatter's handle 52 or other appropriate device which serves as ameans of extension for amplification of manual manipulation of thedevice 28 whereby the user repeats the process of compression adhesion,capturing and restraining and disposing of the intended insect.

It is contemplated that additional variations of this invention may bemade without departing from the principle thereof, and I do not wish tobe understood as limiting myself to the specific construction shown anddescribed herein. Those who are skilled in the art will envision manyother possible variations still within its scope. For example, the meansby which the enveloping of an insect's body mass takes place. This couldbe accomplished not only by a sheet, but through a variety of methodsusing elastic materials, fabrics, plastics or rubbers in place of thepaper sheet, also mixing elastic material with the adhesive that coatsthe sheet. The sheet construction is a singular method of envelopmentwith many potential variations. For example, one may be constructed witha singular pocket, multiple pockets or elongated pockets—all of whichare formed, impression constructed. Variations could occur in thedensity and thickness, multiple material layering, or trapping airpockets, all of which allow insect body mass and sheet to conform to oneanother as a result of compression of the void space within the sheet.The shape of the sheet could be elongated to that of a strip or a roll.Insect poisons and/or anti-bacterial agents could be added to theadhesive of the sheet. Different cover methods could be added to protectthe device sheet and adhesive prior to use. Accordingly, the reader isrequested to determine the scope of the invention by the appended claimsand their legal equivalents, and not by the examples which have beengiven.

I claim:
 1. A device for restraining an insect comprising a continuous planar sheet substrate said substrate comprised of a homogenous material and having a top side and a bottom side, said substrate having an adhesive distributed on said top side to form an engagement area, said engagement area not encompassing two lateral side areas on said top side of said substrate, said top side of said substrate and said engagement area further comprising a compressible, and hydrophilic pliable material, whereby when said sheet is manually manipulated so that when said engagement area on said top side covers said insect and a force is manually applied to said substrate from said bottom side, said insect will cause said substrate to collapse and form a concave depression which closely conforms to the shape of said insect and therefore partially embed said insect within said substrate wherein the body of said insect may displace said substrate without rupturing the body of said insect and said engagement thereby increases the total contact area between said adhesive and said insect, and removable means to cover said adhesive area prior to use.
 2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said adhesive has adhesive properties substantially the same as the adhesive used on conventional household cellophane transparent tapes.
 3. The device as recited as claim 1 wherein said adhesive has adhesive properties substantially the same as the releasable adhesive used on paper note products.
 4. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate further comprises a rigid support means substantially similar to a conventional cardboard index card.
 5. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said removable means comprises wax or silicone coated paper.
 6. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said removable means comprises a non-stick coating provided on said bottom side of a second substrate.
 7. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said devoid of adhesive has a visibly perceivable line of demarcation from said engagement area.
 8. The sheet as recited in claim 1 wherein said sheet is provided in the shape of a polygon and having a lateral dimension of less than five inches wide wherein said sheet can be easily manipulated with a person's hand and wherein said substrate further comprises a rigid support means substantially the same as conventional cardboard index card.
 9. The sheet as recited in claim 1 wherein said sheet is provided in the shape of a circle, oval or ellipse.
 10. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises paper.
 11. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises synthetic resin.
 12. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate has a corrugated configuration.
 13. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the device is in the shape of a flat planar sheet and said engagement layer is the first area of contact as the flat planar sheet is brought into contact with a parallel flat planar surface.
 14. A pad made up of a plurality of sheets as described in claim
 1. 15. A method of capturing in insect which is found on a surface comprising application of the top side of the substrate as described in claim 1 to an insect and thereby allowing said adhesive to contact said insect and restrain said insect, providing pressure from said bottom side of said substrate thereby allowing said compressible material to be compressed by said insect or pest and causing said insect to form a concave depression in said top side of said substrate without rupturing the body of said insect and allowing said hydrophilic surface to absorb any liquid from said body of said insect then removing said substrate from said surface.
 16. The method as described in claim 15 further comprising folding said substrate so that opposite sides of said adhesive are allowed to contact and engage one another whereby said insect is enveloped within said substrate.
 17. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said adhesive is dispersed over said engagement areas in a discontinuous manner thereby allowing portions of said substrate to be exposed on said top surface in said engagement area.
 18. The device as recited in claim 17 wherein said adhesive is provided in a striped pattern.
 19. The device as recited in claim 17 wherein said adhesive is dispersed over said engagement area in a series of circular regions.
 20. A method of capturing an insect which is found on a surface comprising application of the top side of the substrate as described in claim 1 to an insect and thereby allowing said adhesive to contact said insect and restrain said insect, providing pressure from said bottom side of substrate thereby allowing said compressible material to be compressed by said insect and causing said insect to form a concave depression in said top side of said substrate and allowing said hydrophilic surface to absorb any liquid from said body of said insect. 